Updated
Overview
Bangladesh has 29 times the population of Singapore: 175.69 million people against 6.11 million (2025).
Singapore's economy is 32% larger than Bangladesh's, at $603.87B versus $456.32B.
Per person, Singapore is the wealthier of the two: $98,814 against $2,597 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Singapore | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $456.32B | Higher: $603.87B | 2025 | $450.12B / $547.39B |
| GDP per capita | $2,597 | Higher: $98,814 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 3.5% | Higher: 5.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 8.8% | Lower: 0.9% | 2025 | 10.5% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | Lower: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 25 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $134 | Higher: $3,483 | 2024 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $108 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $5.77 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 175.69 million | 6.11 million | 2025 | 174.37 million / 6.08 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 26.0 yrs | 36.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.11 | 0.96 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.9 yrs | Higher: 83.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 33% | 100% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 53% | Higher: 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 147,570 km² | 719 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 1190.5/km² | 8499.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 108 Mt | Lower: 54 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.6 t | 9.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.03B | $15.06B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 2.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 227,000 | 59,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Singapore is growing faster: 5.0% annual GDP growth versus 3.5%.
Bangladesh runs the hotter price environment: 8.8% inflation versus 0.9%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Bangladesh: a price level of 25 versus 60 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Singapore: $3,483 against $134 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Bangladesh is the far younger society: median age 26.0 versus 36.2 years.
Life expectancy is 8.4 years longer in Singapore (83.3 vs 74.9).
Singapore is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 33%.
Internet adoption is higher in Singapore (94% vs 53% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Bangladesh is 205 times the size of Singapore: 147,570 km² versus 719 km².
Singapore is far more densely settled: 8500 people per km² against 1191.
Military
Singapore spends 3.7 times as much on defence as Bangladesh: $15.06B versus $4.03B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Singapore carries the heavier military burden: 2.8% of GDP versus 0.9%.
Bangladesh fields the larger armed forces: 227,000 personnel against 59,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Bangladesh bigger than Singapore?
- Bangladesh is larger by land area. Bangladesh covers 147,570 km² while Singapore covers 719 km², so Bangladesh is 205 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Bangladesh or Singapore?
- Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.69 million versus 6.11 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Bangladesh richer than Singapore?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Singapore is richer: $98,814 against $2,597. Total GDP tells the same story: $456.32B for Bangladesh versus $603.87B for Singapore.
- Who spends more on their military, Bangladesh or Singapore?
- Singapore spends more: $15.06B versus $4.03B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).